Apple Watch SE 2nd Generation

The only device in this comparison that functions as a full smartwatch: crash detection, Emergency SOS, built-in GPS, Suica + Apple Pay at most Japanese convenience stores, watchOS app store, message replies on the wrist. Requires iPhone — non-negotiable, not a workaround available. 18-hour rated battery means charging every night without exception; it is the most expensive option here in Japan.

Apple Watch SE 2nd generation is the only device in this comparison that functions as a full smartwatch rather than a fitness tracker with watch features. Crash detection, Emergency SOS (needs cellular or Wi-Fi calling), full watchOS app store access, message replies on the wrist, and Suica integration that works at most convenience stores in Japan separate it from everything else here. As a fitness tracker it does the job — heart rate, built-in GPS, swim tracking with stroke detection, sleep tracking — but the 18-hour rated battery means daily charging without exception, which breaks the consistent wear that drives most of a tracker's behavioral benefit. The hard requirement for an iPhone is non-negotiable — there is no Android pairing mode. It is the most expensive option here in Japan, justified only by the smartwatch features rather than fitness capability. Note that Apple has since released the successor Apple Watch SE 3.

▶ Video review

Apple Watch SE 2 Review (The Best Watch for Most People)